Yoshimitsu4432 – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the melodic metal artist, Yoshimitsu4432, reveals what he does before taking the stage.

Yoshimitsu4432

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the melodic metal artist, Yoshimitsu4432, reveals what he does before taking the stage. You can check out the story, after the break.

Here’s my routine of rituals for the day I have a show.
I thought I’d share not only the Pre-show but also the Post-show so you know a typical Japanese musician’s 24 hours around a show.
• 8:00 – Do stretches under the sun first thing in the morning. Eat a full breakfast slowly, with lots of soy products fresh and fermented. Make myself a cup of proper Maccha tea, and drink with Japanese sweets. This is an important relaxation practice for me.
• 11:00 – Head out to the venue, just carrying my Flying-V. (The rest of equipment carried in separately by my roadie) My ritual jam being the album Let It Come Down by James Iha.
• 12:00 – Arrive at the venue. It’s typical to arrive very early in Japan. This is also an important time to greet and meet the staff for goodwill.
• 14:00 – Soundcheck and instructions for lighting and stage logistics.
• 15:00 – At this time, my band members usually grab a late lunch. But I never eat until after the show, as I feel sharpest and most focused on my guitar playing on an empty stomach. So, this is usually where I go out for a walk.
• 16:00 – I find a spot backstage where I can be alone, and rehearse the show on my own with headphones. I might also do mental training of using the pedals at this time.
• 18:00 – After completing all the preparation, I would put down my guitar and meditate for 15 minutes to reset my mind. This is also time for one of my key rituals where I “talk” to my guitars and amps thanking them for always being there for me, and for a successful show tonight. My equipment are not mere tools, but they are friends and family to me.
• 19:00 – Show starts. To keep my brains sharp, I try not to drink much water during the show.
• 20:45 – End of Show. We’d go backstage and greet the friends and fans forming a long line in front of the green room.
• 22:00 – Leave the venue and hit a nearby izakaya joint for food and drinks. Especially since I had not eaten since morning, all the yakitori, tempura, and Japanese sake hit the spot! This might be what Japanese musicians live for.
• 10:00 (next morning) – While drinking Maccha tea, I would once again “talk” to my guitar and equipment. “Hey, thanks for last night! And look forward to many more!”

Keep up with him on YouTube, Instagram and his website.